Tuesday roundup: Watkins to Dolphins; Andre Brown to IR

Sep. 3, 2013
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Former Philadelphia Eagles guard Danny Watkins addresses the media during training camp at the Eagles NovaCare Complex. He was released and signed by the Miami Dolphins. / Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles draft bust Danny Watkins will get a chance to try to revive his career in Miami. The Miami Dolphins signed the 28-year-old guard on Tuesday.

Watkins was the 23rd overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Baylor. He started 18 games over two seasons but was dogged by questions about his passion for football, and he wasn't claimed on waivers after the Eagles cut him Saturday.

He'll be a backup with the Dolphins, who made room on the 53-man roster by waiving guard Josh Samuda.

"I think when you talk about Danny, a change of scenery was necessary for him," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said Saturday. "The pressure of being a first-round pick in Philadelphia and how he internalized that, the way for him to get his career back on track was to go to a new place."

Watkins was a firefighter from British Columbia who came to California for a firefighting course, was talked into playing football and wound up at Baylor. The Eagles took a chance on him, drafting him at 26, after he had been playing the game for only four years.

"Part of his personality - you talk about him being a firefighter - is that he feels he has to save people. He put a lot of pressure on himself. He couldn't just go out and play," Roseman said. "Getting away from 'Danny Watkins, the first-round pick' and just being 'Danny Watkins' will really help him."

Giants place RB Andre Brown on short-term IR

Giants running back Andrew Brown insisted he could make a speedy recovery from a fractured leg he suffered in the final preseason game, but with the Giants hampered at other spots, they couldn't take the chance. They need the roster spot.

On Tuesday, they placed Brown on short-term injured reserve, a designation the team can use only once. It'll free a roster spot for a need the Giants -- possibly at running back.

"See y'all in week 8," Brown tweeted Tuesday afternoon.

The Giants, as they head into the seaon opener against the Dallas Cowboys, are thin at safety, running back and offensive line.

With Stevie Brown suffering a season-ending ACL tear, the have Antrel Rolle, Ryan Mundy and rookie Cooper Taylor at safety. Coach Tom Coughlin said he would like more depth at that position. Offensive linemen David Baas (knee) and David Diehl (thumb) have created holes, and running back is a question mark, too.

Running back David Wilson, in his first year as a starter, now will carry more of the load with Brown injured -- and there's not much proven talent behind him.

Saints bring Meachem back

The New Orleans Saints have brought back receiver Robert Meachem, shortly after his release by the San Diego Chargers.

The Saints announced that Meachem has been signed to a one-year contract for which financial terms have not been released.

The club has not yet announced who will be released to make room for Meachem.

Meachem was the Saints' first-round draft choice in 2007 and left for San Diego as a free agent last season.

His best season in New Orleans was 2009, when he had 45 catches for 722 yards and nine touchdowns in helping the Saints win their only Super Bowl title.

Last season, Meachem caught 14 passes for 207 yards and two TDs, both against the Saints.

Falcons bring in veteran tackle

The Atlanta Falcons have signed offensive tackle Jeremy Trueblood, who started 84 games in seven seasons with Tampa Bay.

The Falcons signed the 30-year-old Trueblood to add experience behind second-year right tackle Lamar Holmes, who has moved up as the starter after playing in only one game in his 2012 rookie season. The Falcons lost projected starter Mike Johnson for the season when he dislocated his left ankle and broke his left leg in training camp.

The Falcons also waived offensive tackle Terren Jones on Tuesday and reached an injury settlement with offensive guard Phillipkeith Manley.

Trueblood, cut by the Washington Redskins on Aug. 27, played in 101 games with the Buccaneers. He played in nine games with one start in 2012 after making 15 starts in 2011.

Cundiff re-joins one of his many former teams

Billy Cundiff's last kicking job with the Browns was temporary. He's got a more permanent gig now.

Cundiff reached agreement with Cleveland on Tuesday, filling an unexpected hole the Browns created with less than a week left before their season opener against the Miami Dolphins.

It's Cundiff's second stint with the Browns. He was with the club in 2009, when he made all six of his field-goal attempts while filling in for Phil Dawson, who was sidelined with a calf injury.

Cundiff replaces the dependable Dawson, the best field-goal kicker in Browns history and second-leading career scorer who didn't re-sign after last season and is now with San Francisco.

The 33-year-old Cundiff auditioned Tuesday for the Browns along with Giorgio Tavecchio, who was released by Green Bay last week. The Browns have been looking for a kicker since terminating veteran Shayne Graham's contract and releasing rookie Brandon Bogotay last weekend as they cut their roster to 53.

To open a roster spot for Cundiff, the Browns placed offensive guard Jason Pinkston on the short-term injured reserve list. Pinkston sustained a high ankle sprain on Aug. 15 against Detroit and is still in a walking boot. He's eligible to return to practice following Cleveland's Oct. 20 game against Green Bay and is eligible to play in the Nov. 3 game against Baltimore.

Cundiff, who has appeared in 106 career NFL games for five teams, made the Pro Bowl with Baltimore in 2010. He made 26 of 29 field goals and led the league with 40 touchbacks that season.

Cleveland had planned to try out veteran Dan Carpenter, but he chose to sign with the Buffalo Bills after rookie kicker Dustin Hopkins was injured in practice on Monday.

Graham and Bogotay split the kicking duties throughout camp and the preseason, and it was assumed one of them would win the job. But coach Rob Chudzinski said the Browns were not satisfied with their performances - Bogotay also had a groin injury - and the team opted to look elsewhere despite the opener being just a few days away.

Steelers put TE Matt Spaeth on short-term IR

The Pittsburgh Steelers put Matt Spaeth on the injured reserve/designated for return list Tuesday, which means Spaeth is eligible to return to practice after the sixth week of the season and eligible to return to the active roster after the eighth week.

To fill the open spot on the 53-man roster, rookie linebacker Terence Garvin was signed from the practice squad.

Carpenter signs with Bills

Kicker Dan Carpenter has finally landed a job after signing with the Buffalo Bills.

The team announced the signing Tuesday. It came a day after rookie kicker Dustin Hopkins was hurt in practice, according to several reports. The Bills have not revealed Hopkins was hurt or how much time he might miss.

Carpenter has five years of NFL experience with Miami and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2009. He was released by the Dolphins last month and failed in tryout bids with the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Jets over the past two weeks.

Carpenter has converted 127 of 155 field-goal attempts. His 127 field goals are tied for fifth-most in the NFL since 2008.

The Bills open the season at home against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

In other moves:

* The Dallas Cowboys traded an undisclosed draft pick to the Indianapolis Colts for defensive end Caesar Rayford, who signed with the Colts as undrafted rookie free agent in May.